Automatic flushing system



P 7, 1954 J. J. FILLIUNG 2,633,141

AUTOMATIC FLUSHING SYSTEM Filed NOV. 8, 1950 TIMER STARTS WHEN FLUSH VILYE 000R SWITCH GLOSES Home WERTES INV EN7:0R. JACQUES J FILL/0N6.

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Patented Sept. 7, 1954 AUTOMATIC FLUSHING SYSTEM Jacques J. Filliung,Chicago, Ill., assignor to Sloan Valve Company, Chicago, 11]., acorporation of Illinois Application November 8, 1950, Serial No. 194,713

Claims. 1

The present invention relates in general to plumbing equipment, but moreparticularly to a plumbing system for automatically controlling theoperation of flush valves in a toilet room, and the principal object ofthe invention is to provide a new and novel arrangement for electricallyoperating flush valves.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical flush valveoperating system in which the flush valves are automatically operated bythe action of a person entering the toilet room.

A further object is to provide an automatic flushing system in which theflush valves are operated automatically a predetermined time intervalafter a person enters the toilet room.

Another object is to provide an automatic flushing system for a toiletroom in which the flush valves are electrically operated by a timingdevice a predetermined time after the timing device has beenautomatically started in operation by a person opening the toilet roomdoor, and in which the timing device is stopped automatically after theflush valve has been operated independent of any intermediate openingsof the toilet room door. Another object of the invention is to design anautomatic flushing system which will conserve the supply of water byonly flushing the plumbing fixtures when they have been used.

Another object is to design a new and novel circuit arrangement for anautomatic flushing system in which a toilet room door switch is arrangedto start the operation of an electric timing device and in which thetiming device actuates the flush valve after a time interval and is thenstopped independent of the door switch.

In many pliunbing installations, it is customary to provide flush valvesfor urinal fixtures equipped with operating handles to manually flushthe urinal fixture by a person using the same. Many persons, however,for hygienic reasons, are reluctant to operate the flush valve handles,or neglect to do so, and as a result, the urinal becomes fouled andobnoxious, thereby consituting a health hazard. It is thereforedesirable that some means be provided for eliminating the human elementfrom operating the flush valves and instead provide means forautomatically flushing the same at periodic intervals. In accordancewith the present invention, the manually operated handle on the flushvalve is replaced with an automatic operating device, preferably in theform of a small electric motor which in turn is controlled by anelectric timing device having a time cycle of, for example, fiveminutes. The timing device is started into operation automatically froman electric door switch operated by a person entering the toilet roomand runs for the time period set when it automatically stops. A shorttime prior to the end of the specified time period, the fiush valve isoperated by the timer and any intermediate door openings during the sametime period are inefiective. It is therefore apparent that the flushingaction occurs only when the plumbing fixture is used and at all othertimes the equipment remains idle. The conservation of water for theplumbing fixtures will accordingly be considerable over former automaticflushing systems in which the fixtures are flushed at regular intervalsregardless of the frequency of use. A system of the latter type isdisclosed in Patent 2,507,966, issued May 16, 1950, to applicant.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts andcircuits which will be hereinafter more fully described, claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a section of a toilet room showing theinvention;

Figs. 2 and'3 are front and side views respectively of a timing deviceof the invention;

Fig. 4 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating the circuitconnections involved; while Fig. 5 is a chart illustrating the timeperiods concerned with the invention.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, a typical toiletroom is indicated at 5 in fragmentary perspective, having the usualentrance door 6 held closed, for example, by a pneumatic door check I. Aurinal fixture 8 is supported on the room wall 5 and is flushed by anywell known type of hydraulic fiush valve 9 supported above the fixture8. An inlet water supply pipe I0 is connected to the ordinary stop orthrottle ll associated with the flush valve 9 and in place of the usualmanually operated handle for the flush valve an electric operatingdevice [2, preferably in the form of a small motor, is provided. Thisflush valve motor 12 may be of the type disclosed in Patent No.2,552,625, issued May 15, 1951, to applicant.

Mounted in the wall 5 of the toilet room, adj acent the door 6, is atiming device, indicated generally at l5. This timing device is mountedpreferably in an ordinary conduit box l6 recessed in the wall 5 andclosed by the cover plate [1. Suitable electrical conduit connections,such as I8;

connect the timer with the motor operator :2, and with the electricalsupply line. Mounted in a recess in the door frame is a door switchindicated generally at is which may be of any Wellknown construction andspecifically includes a pair of contact leaf springs 20 and 2| arrangedto be normally held apart by a pin 22 extending into the door frame,when the door 6 is closed, as shown in Fig. 4. When the door 6 is openedinwardly, it moves away from the pin 22, permitting contact spring 20 toclose on spring 2| due to the tension in leaf spring 20. As soon as thedoor closes under control of the door check I, the pin again is pushedinward as shown, opening the contacts. The electrical connections forthe door switch l 9 extend by conduit into the conduit box It containingthe timing device 15.

Referring now specifically to Figs. 2 and 3, this shows the timingdevice I supported in the conduit box it by means of an L-shapedmounting bracket 25 which may be attached to the conduit box by means ofscrews threaded into ears on the bracket and box. A small synchronousmotor having an operating coil 2-5 and a gear box 27 is supported on thebracket 25, and a small spur gear extending outside of the gear box 27meshes with a larger gear 28, rotatably mounted in a turned up portionof the bracket 25. Mounted on the same shaft with the gear 28 is a pairof earns 29 and 3%, which are arranged for rotation so as to actuate apair of microswitches 3i and 32, respectively. These switches aresuitably supported on a transverse bracket 35, carried by bracket 25.The gear box 2? is arranged to rotate the large gear 2-8 and earns 29and 3t preferably at a speed of one revolution in five minutes. As moreclearly seen in Fig. 4, the cam 36 is provided with a bump 33, adaptedto establish a movement of the armature of micro-switch 32 to close itsswitch contacts, while cam 29 is provided with a notch 34 within whichthe end of the armature of micro-switch 3! is adapted to normally rest,and when moved out of the notch, close the contacts of the switch.

As shown in the schematic circuit diagram Fig.

4', the timer i5 is preferably energized by a source of alternatingcurrent of 115 volts, 60 cycles, over the line conductors ill and a I.An ordinary toggle switch 4 2 may be inserted in the line 4! to activatethe system, if desired. Line conductor 40 extends in series with thecoil winding 26 of the timing device and then to contact springs 20 and21 of the door switch S9, and back over the other line conductor s1. Aparallel branch circuit also extends in series with the homingmicro-switch contacts 35. A second circuit extends from line conductorsAll and M over conductors 43 and 44 in series with the coil winding 45of the motor operator i2, and a portion of line conductor G3 extends inseries with the micro-switch contacts 32. The motor operator i2 isprovided with a set of gears 25, the last one of which has a cam l! onits drive shaft. This cam 4? is adapted to move a plunger es inward eachtime the motor operator i2 is operated. Pushing the plunger Q8 inwardcauses the auxiliary valve stem d9 of the flush valve 9 to be tripped,and this in well-known manner causes the hydraulic operation of theflush valve $3 to permit a measured quantity of water to flow from theinlet water supply it into the urinal t.

In the normal operation of the system, the switch 42 is closed and thesystem is dormant or at rest until a person opens the door 6 to enterthe toilet room 5. It requires approximately seven to ten seconds forthe door 6 to open and then to slowly close under control of a suitabledoor check such as 1. This opening and closing of the door is sufficientto permit the door switch is to close its contacts 25 and ii for a shorttime interval. A circuit connection is thereby established for the coilwinding :26 over the line conductors 36 and H and door switch contacts21] and 2! in series. This causes the timing motor iii to be energized,resulting in the gear 23 being rotated and in turn the cams 29 and St.The rotation of cam 29 immediately causes the armature of the homingmicro-switch 3! to ride out of the cam notch 34 and close contacts 3|independent of the door switch l 9, thereby establishing a secondoperating circuit for the timing coil 26. After this latter circuit hasbeen closed, it wiil be apparent that contacts of the door switch it canbe again closed and that any number of subsequent door openings may bemade without affecting the operation of the timer in any manner. Thenotch 34 in cam 29 is arranged to be of sufiicient width to permit atime interval of about three seconds to elapse before the door 6 willclose to open the door switch it.

The timer 1 5 continues to operate and rotate its cams 29 and 30 afterthe door 6 has been closed. After a period of five minutes, the camnotch 34 will again come within the path or" the armature of microswitch3 I, whereupon the armature drops into the notch opening the homingcontacts 3i. This disconnects the supply line conductors it and ll fromthe timer motor 2%, causing the motor to stop. At a predetermined timeprior to the opening of the homing switch 3| by notch 3 the bump 33 oncam 39 actuates the armature of switch 32, causing a closure oi thecontacts. As a result, an energizing circuit thereby established overthe line conductors +29 and il, contact 32, and in series with the coilwinding 35 of the motor operator l2. Accordingly, the motor operator l2rotates its gears 65 and cam 47 to trip the auxiliary valve :39, causingan actuation of the flush valve 9 and flushing the urinal fixture 8. Thewidth of the cam bump 33 is suificient to permit a closure of contacts32 for approximately four seconds, after which the contacts are opened.This four second impulse to the motor operator I2 is sufiicient toprovide at least one full operation of cam 57, in the manner pointed outin the aforesaid patent, No. 2,552,625. A short time after the motoroperator 1? has actuated the flush valve 9, the timing device I5 isautomatically stopped, as pointed out, and the complete system is againdormant until the door 6 is again opened.-

Referring now to Fig. 5, this discloses a time chart illustrating theprinciples of operation. The chart is laid out inminutes for a period offive minutes and shows that when the door is first opened, the timer isstarted into operation and continues to operate for the full fiveminutes when it is automatically stopped. Due to the homing circuitprovided by cam 29, any intermediate door openings will be withouteffect upon the timer. Approximately one-half minute prior to theautomatic stopping of the timer, the flush valve motor #2 is energized.This period for the energization of the motor operator #2 may be chosenanywhere within the five minute time period run off by the timer. It ismerely necessary to rotate the cam 31 relative to cam 29 on the shaft toprovide this adjustable period.

It has been determined from observation that a person entering a toiletwill require no more than three or four minutes to perform any necessarytoilet and other functions before leaving the room. Therefore, the fiveminutes chosen within which to stop the timer would insure that theurinal 8 had been used and subsequently flushed by the flush valve 9. Itwill be apparent that the flushing action could conceivably occur afterthe person has left the room, but a period no longer than five minuteswill have elapsed since he first entered the washroom. Assume also thatone person had entered the washroom and left prior to the expiration ofthe five minute period. Another person then enters during this time, butleaves the room after the five minute period has expired. This latterperson then when he opens the door to go out, will start the automaticoperation of the timer and cause flushing of the fiush valve 9 four andone-half minutes after he has gone out. It is apparent that the systemwill remain inactive entirely until a person enters the room and thismay be any subsequent time after a previous person had used the toiletroom. Any number of people may enter and leave the toilet room, but thesystem will function to only provide five minute intervals to flush theflush valve.

Assume that in certain installations as where a large number of urinalsare provided and the traffic is relatively heavy, the door 6 may bepropped open a by a door catch. In such condition, the door switch 19would remain closed indefinitely or as long as the door was held open.As a result, the timer would function to flush the flush valve 9 and anyothers every five minutes, regardless of how many persons entered orleft the room. This is desirable because under these circumstances theheavy trafiic in the toilet room will require the urinals to be flushedperiodically every five minutes.

The present system, it will be apparent, presents numerous advantagesover other known automatic flushing systems, because the flush valvesare only operated when they are actually used. The saving of water willtherefore be considerable over flushing systems in which the urinals areflushed automatically perdiocally regardless of the traffic into thetoilet room. The system likewise overcomes many disadvantages which havebeen encountered in attempting to r automatically operate the flushvalves directly by the opening and closing of a door without the use ofa timing device.

While only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described, it will be apparent that modifications of the same may bemade by those versed in the art. It is therefore desired that theinvention be not limited to the precise disclosure, but only by thescope of the appended claims:

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic flushing system for a toilet room having an entrancedoor and a flush valve for flushing a plumbing fixture, an electricoperator for initiating the operation of said flush valve, a timingdevice having a motor and including cam means, a homing switch and anelectric operator switch, both switches being operated by said cammeans, said electric operator switch controlling the operation of saidelectric operator and said homing switch controlling said timing devicemotor, a door switch adapted to be closed when the door is opened andadapted to be opened when the door is closed, an electric power sourcefor said timing device motor, said door switch and said homing switchbeing connected in parallel circuit with each other and in series withsaid timing device motor and said power source, the closing of said doorswitch being effective to start said timing device motor in operation,said cam means being thereby eifective to close said homing switch andto continue the operation of said timing device motor independently ofrepeated opening and closing of said door switch, said cam means beingadapted to open said homing switch after a predetermined time interval,whereby to stop the operation of said timing device motor, said electricoperator switch being adapted to be closed by said cam means prior tothe stopping of said timing device motor, to close the operating circuitof said electric operator in series with said power source, said doorswitch being held closed in the event the door is held open, whereby thetiming device motor continues to hold closed the operating circuit ofsaid timing device motor independently of the opening of said homingswitch by said cam means, so that said electric operator is periodicallyoperated.

2. In an automatic flushing system for a toilet room having an entrancedoor and a flush valve, an electric operator adapted to initiate theoperation of said flush valve, a timing device including a cam means anda pair of cam switches operated thereby, one of said cam switches beingadapted to control the operation of said electric operator, the othercam switch being adapted to control said timing device, a door switchadapted to be closed by the opening of said door and adapted to beopened by the closing of said door, for initiating the operation of saidtiming device independently of the second or" said cam switches, circuitconnections including an electric power source interconnecting said doorswitch with said timing device cam swithes and said timing device withsaid electric operator, whereby the closure of said door switch by saiddoor closes the circuit of said timing device with said power source tostart the timing device in operation, said second cam switch in saidtiming device closing an operating circuit for said timing device withsaid power source independent of the repeated opening and closing ofsaid door siwtch, said second cam switch being adapted automatically toopen the operating circuit of said timing device to stop the operationof the same, said cam means in said timing device effective prior to itsstopping for closing the circuit of said electric operator through thefirst of said cam switches to operate said electric operator, whereby toinitiate the operation of said flush valve, said door switch beingclosed when the door is held open, whereby the timing device continuesto cause periodic actuation of said electric operator.

3. In an automatic flushing system for a toilet room having an entrancedoor and a flush valve, an electric operator adapted to initiate theoperation of said flush valve, a timing device including cam means and apair of cam switches operated thereby, one of said cam switches beingadapted to control the operation of said electric operator, the othercam switch being adapted to control said timing device, a door switchadapted to be closed by the opening of said door and adapted to beopened by the closing of said door for initiating the operation of saidtiming device independently of the second of said cam switches, ciroutconnections between said door switch and said timing device, othercircuit connections between said timing device, said sam switches, andsaid electric operator, an electric power source connected in saidcircuits, whereby the closure of said door switch by said door completesan operating circuit for said timing device, and said second cam switchcompletes a secondary operating circuit for said timing deviceindependently of the repeated operation of said door switch, and whereby said second cam switch automatically disconnects the operatingcircuit of said timing device after a time interval, said first camswitch being adapted at a time prior to the stopping of said timingdevice to complete an operating circuit for said electric operator, saiddoor switch being held closed when said door is held open, whereby saidtiming device continues to cause periodic operation of said electricoperator.

4. In an automatic flushing system for a toilet room having an entrancedoor, a flush valve, an electric operating device adapted to initiatethe operation of said flush valve, an electric timer including cam meansand a pair or" cam switches operated thereby, one of said cam switchesbeing adapted to control said operating device, the second cam switchbeing adapted to control said timing device, a door switch adapted to beclosed by the opening of said door when a person enters the toilet roomand be opened by the closure of said door, electric circuit connectionsincluding a power source interconnecting said door switch, said camswitches, said timer, and said operating device, said door switch beingadapted to close the starting circuit of said timer, said second camswitch being adapted to close after said timer has started, forcompleting an operating circuit for said timer independent of said doorswitch, whereby said entrance docr can be opened an indefinite number oftimes and said door switch opened and closed after said timer hasstarted to operate, said second cam switch automatically opening theoperating circuit of said timer to stop its operation after apredetermined time period has elapsed, said first cam switch beingclosed by said timer for completing an operating circuit for saidoperating device a predetermined time interval prior to the stopping or"said timer, said door switch being held closed in case said door is heldopen, whereby said timing device continues to cause periodic operationof said electric operator.

5. In an automatic flushing system for a toilet room having an entrancedoor equipped with a door check for slowly closing the door after it hasbeen opened by a person entering the toilet room, a flush valve forflushing a plumbing fixture in the room, an electric operator on theflush valve for operating the same, an electric timing device includingcam means and a homing switch and a second switch both operated by saidcam means, said homing switch being adapted to control the operation ofsaid timing device, said second switch being adapted to control saidelectric operator, a door switch closed by the opening of said door andopened when said door is closed, electric circuit connections includinga power source interconnecting said door switch, said cam switches, saidtimer, and said operator, the opening of said door causing said doorswitch to close an initial operating circuit for said timer, said homingswitch being adapted to close a homing circuit for said timerindependent of the repeated operation of said door switch and theclosing of the initial operating circuit of said timer, the slow closingof said door by said door check enabling said homing switch to be closedbefore said door switch is opened by the closing of the door, saidhoming switch opening the homing circuit of said timer to stop the timerafter it has run for a certain time interval, said second switch beingadapted to close the circuit for said electric operator to operate saidflush valve prior to the stopping of said timer, said door switch beingheld closed when said door is held open, whereby said timing devicecontinues to cause periodic operation of said electric operator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,029,281 Davis June 11, 1912 1,639,679 Zsoldos Aug. 23, 19271,875,983 Bourdet Sept. 6, 1932 2,507,966 Filliung May 16, 1950

